Price Cut Breathes New Life Into 3DS

After Nintendo slashed the handheld's price by a whopping 40 percent, the 3DS has beaten expectations, boasting a hefty 260 percent increase in sales.

Since the cut, Nintendo has reportedly managed to shift more than 235,000 3DS units in the US this August. The strong sales helped make the handheld the second best-selling "gaming device" for the month, losing out to the Xbox 360, which boasted its fourteenth month on the trot as North America's favourite console.

Nintendo's boast was made using data collected by the NPD Group. It alleged that since the price cut came in to effect on Aug. 12 around 185,000 3DS units had been sold. The increase showed an impressive 260 percent increase in sales compared to the same 19-day time period in July.

"Consumers are responding very positively to the new suggested retail price of $169.99 for the Nintendo 3DS," commented Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales and Marketing, Scott Moffitt. "With Star Fox 64 3D and the new Flame Red color launching tomorrow, and Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 arriving later this year, Nintendo 3DS will offer consumers cutting-edge entertainment and tremendous value this holiday season."